أَهذيis this سَماءٌa sky زُيِّنَتwas adorned بالكَواكِبِwith stars
أَهذي سَماءٌ زُيِّنَت بالكَواكِبِ
وَإِلّاor else لآلٍpearls فيon نُحورthe necks of الكَواعِبِfull-bosomed maidens
وَإِلّا لآلٍ في نُحور الكَواعِبِ
Is this a sky adorned with stars,
Or else pearls upon the necks of full-bosomed maidens,
وَأَزهارُand flowers of بُستانٍa garden تَضَوَّعَwafted نَشرُهاtheir fragrance
وَأَزهارُ بُستانٍ تَضَوَّعَ نَشرُها
وَإِحسانُهاand their excellence أَمor هيَthey زُهرُthe bright ones among الثَواقِبِthe piercing stars
وَإِحسانُها أَم هيَ زُهرُ الثَواقِبِ
And garden blossoms, with their wafting fragrance
And their excellence—or are they radiant, piercing stars?
بَلىindeed هيَthey مِنfrom أَفكارِthe thoughts of فكرa mind مُهَذَّبrefined
بَلى هيَ مِن أَفكارِ فكر مُهَذَّب
تُنازِلُthey challenge مَنwhomever شاءَتthey wish بإِيماءِwith a gesture of حاجِبِan eyebrow
تُنازِلُ مَن شاءَت بإِيماءِ حاجِبِ
Indeed, they come from the thoughts of a refined mind,
Challenging whomever they wish with a flick of an eyebrow.
هوَhe الفاضِلُthe virtuous النَحريرُthe accomplished scholar وَالفَطِنُand the discerning الَّذيwhose
هوَ الفاضِلُ النَحريرُ وَالفَطِنُ الَّذي
مَعاليهِhis high attainments مِنfrom فَوقِabove السهاal-Suha بِمَراتِبِby many ranks
مَعاليهِ مِن فَوقِ السها بِمَراتِبِ
He is the virtuous, accomplished scholar, the discerning man whose
High attainments stand many ranks above al-Suha:
مُحَمَّدٌMuhammad بنُson of الخوجَةِal-Khoja الفاضِلthe virtuous الرضىthe esteemed
مُحَمَّدٌ بنُ الخوجَةِ الفاضِل الرضى
سَليلُscion of الكِرامِthe noble شَمسُthe sun of هَذيthese المَغارِبِthe western lands
سَليلُ الكِرامِ شَمسُ هَذي المَغارِبِ
Muhammad ibn al-Khoja, the virtuous and esteemed,
Scion of the noble, the sun of these western lands.
حَليفُdevoted to طِلابseeking العِلمِknowledge يَحسَبُhe considers نَيلَهُattaining it
حَليفُ طِلاب العِلمِ يَحسَبُ نَيلَهُ
أَلَذّsweeter وَأَشهىand more desirable مِنthan وِصالِunion with الحَبائِبِbeloved women
أَلَذّ وَأَشهى مِن وِصالِ الحَبائِبِ
Devoted to seeking knowledge, he deems its attainment
Sweeter and more desirable than union with beloved women.
إِذاwhen أَعضَلَتproves difficult إِحدىone of النكاتِthe subtle points يَحُلّهاhe resolves it
إِذا أَعضَلَت إِحدى النكاتِ يَحُلّها
بذَهنٍwith a mind كَحَدِّlike the edge of المَشرَفيَّةِa Mashrafi sword ثاقِبِpiercing
بذَهنٍ كَحَدِّ المَشرَفيَّةِ ثاقِبِ
When a subtle point proves difficult, he resolves it
With a mind as keen as the edge of a Mashrafi sword.
سَيَبلُغُhe will attain ماwhat يَرجوهُhe hopes for it مِنof كُلِّevery مَطلَبٍgoal
سَيَبلُغُ ما يَرجوهُ مِن كُلِّ مَطلَبٍ
وَتَنظُرُهُand you will see him فَوراًat once بِأَعلىin the highest of المَراتِبِthe ranks
وَتَنظُرُهُ فَوراً بِأَعلى المَراتِبِ
He will attain what he hopes for in every pursuit,
And you will see him at once in the highest ranks.
Sol 6.1